


Wow, Thanks!

by charismawizard



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: A statement you'd never think to hear, ENTIRELY FLUFF, Other, especially here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-08 10:18:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6850771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charismawizard/pseuds/charismawizard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Peridot even knew when her birthday was, she didn't expect it to matter so much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wow, Thanks!

“What?!” Steven exclaimed, gripping his hands into his fluffy head of hair. “You’ve never had a birthday?!”

Peridot’s face began to scrunch as she contemplated what could possibly be so important about this sentiment. If she remembered correctly, it was just a marking of one’s birth and in a universe where time was overall-- quite pointless. But that still begged the question as to why this was so exciting to Steven. She scratched the back of her neck; her expression still one of befuddlement. “No?”

Peridot’s arm dropped as she then shrugged casually. “What’s the point of it though? It just marks a pointless number to represent the number of years you’ve been roaming this planet.”

“But birthdays are so much fun though!” Steven exclaimed, throwing his arms out as stars practically formed in his eyes. “There’s cake, games, and all your friends and family come to celebrate, ya know-- you! And what you did this past year! Haven’t you ever had that before?”

The tone to Steven’s question seemed almost forlorn at the idea of Peridot having never experienced this apparently joyous occasion as she turned to face the day just outside the barn doors, her chin now cupped by her hand before answering, “No?... I don’t even know when I was ‘born’. I was just sorta-- there.”

 

“What?!” Steven was now pacing around the barn, his face now painted with determination and hands folded behind his back.

“Steven, really, it’s okay- It’s just a pointless-”

“No!” The young teen replied, raising his finger into the air as if he were protesting a great injustice. “I can’t accept this! As of today-- it’s your first official birthday!”

Peridot’s cheeks turned dark green as she sputtered for a moment to find the words before finally settling on, “O- okay? What do I do to help?”

“Nothing!” Steven instructed. “It’s your birthday, which means we do stuff for you!”

“You mean humans have ‘birthday parties’ for each other… just because they can?”

Steven smiled, nodding firmly, “We just do it because it’s a nice thing to do for someone else! It makes them feel special!”

 

While Peridot was, what she assumed to be, flattered-- she was still extraordinarily confused about the entire concept as Steven rushed back up the steps of the Gems beachfront home to explain his plans to his caretakers.  She glanced about, making sure none of the other Crystal Clods were around before taking out her handheld tape recorder to explain the series of events which had just taken place.

“Logdate-- three-sixteen-twelve. Today, Steven has declared it my ‘first official birthday’. He explained birthdays not just as a day marked for when one is born into the universe but rather a-- celebration humans engage in with this ‘cake’ substance to commemorate one’s accomplishments over the past year.”

Peridot paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing on with her entry, “However, what was truly the most confusing part of his explanation was how people plan these festivities for others without even asking for anything in return. One would think that those around them go to this much trouble for someone they’d want something out of it, right?”

Suddenly, a booming voice echoed from outside the doors, “Yo, P! You still talkin’ to your diary-- thing?”

“I must go now-- Amethyst has just shown up in the barn. Peridot out.”

 

“Hello Amethyst, I amuse you want to hang out?” Peridot asked, still getting used to the way the words fit into her mouth.

“Bingo!” Amethyst chuckled. “Steven is taking this whole birthday thing like-- super seriously, so I’m supposed to distract you so you don’t see your surprise! So since it’s your birthday~ what do you want to do?”

Peridot thought for a moment as she considered her options, “Well, there is this video game that Steven has-”

“Video games?!” Amethyst exclaimed. “That sounds so cool! Let’s go!”

 

* * *

 

 

A deep blue turtle shell popped up in Peridot’s inventory as Amethyst sped to first place-- laughing incessantly as she teased the green gem, “Catch me if you can, Peridot!”

Peridot smirked, “Just watch me.”

The blue shell shot from the front of Peridot’s cart and nailed the former’s as the smaller gem immediately pushed forward to first; completing the round as the course victor with a large _1st Place_ flashing on screen.

Peridot jumped to her feet, flailing her arms out as she declared, “Yes!”

“No~” Amethyst whined, falling back on the cushioned hardwood floor. “Come on, P! You can’t just pull a blue shell on me!”

“It’s too late for that now! I’ve won! I am victorious!” Peridot cheered, the game controller still in her hands as she vibrated with excitement.

Amethyst smiled, sitting up once again with a shrug. “A win’s a win, right? Hey- how many games was that?”

“Well, I think this was our third course so-”

“Aw man, seems like we’ve still got time to burn before the big birthday surprise,” Amethyst said, peeking between the blinds while Peridot was still distracted-- she turned to the green gem with a casual expression as she asked, “you wanna go hang out in that grassy area outside for a bit?”

 

* * *

 

 

The two laid side by side, Amethyst staring aimless up at the sky, occasionally calling out random words. Peridot’s face contorting in bewilderment as she soon became aware of the this pattern, now turning on her side to question the purple gem. “What are you doing? Am I missing something here? Is this a code?”

Amethyst laughed hardily before shaking her head, “Nah, P! I’m looking at the clouds to see what shapes they make! Like…. That one! It looks kind of like a dog.”

Peridot looked to where the former was gesturing to, but only saw a shapeless, white blob. From first appearances, it didn’t seem to have any special properties that made it more or less dog-like than the other clouds surrounding it. “I don’t get it.”

“You gotta use your imagination,” Amethyst poked the gem in the center of her forehead, “think with the ol’ noggin and all that.”

The larger gem promptly removed her finger, “Now you try.”

 

“Hm~” Peridot tilted her head-- now staring up at the sky with curiosity before spotting a find of her own. She immediately pointed to it excitedly. “Oh! That one! It looks like one of those-- walking cotton balls!”

Amethyst chuckled, “You mean a sheep?”

“Yeah, that! It looks like that!”

The purple gem adjusted herself to where Peridot’s head was positioned in the grass-- now staring up into the sky herself, “Huh, you’re right, it does look like a sheep.”

“So do I win?”

“Win what?”

“The game!” Peridot exclaimed. “This was a game, right?”

Amethyst almost corrected the green-skinned being before smiling and plucking a flower nearby, “Yeah sure, P. You won the game.”

She leaned over, sticking the Dandelion behind Peridot’s ear. “And there’s your prize.”

 

Peridot glowed bright green upon getting the attention from the purple gem, but as she opened her mouth to reply-- suddenly, Steven rushed over with an ear-splitting grin written all over his face. “It’s done!”

“What’s- done?”

“You know, your birthday party!” Steven exclaimed, now his offering his hand to help her up. “Come on!”

Peridot accepted his hand, now getting to her feet as the group then rushed towards the beachfront-- only for her eyes to met with a small table of gifts, a cake with Peridot’s face drawn in icing in the same style as one of Steven’s sketches and yellow cursive claiming: _Happy 1st Birthday!_

Along with a collection of various colorful decorations with different sizes and variations of the number one. Suddenly, Peridot felt a weight against the top of her as she then realized that Steven was setting a large crown atop her head as he then declared, “Happy birthday, Peridot!”

 

The green gem stood in pure silence as she took in the scene, it wasn’t like anything she had ever seen before because no one had ever gone to the trouble to do something like this for her. Without even asking for anything in return, nonetheless.

“Peridot?” Steven asked, his face now one of concern. “Are you okay?”

“What? Oh!” Peridot’s eyes widened but she quickly found herself searching the sandy beach for answers as she dug a small pit with her foot. “It’s just that-- why should I get something like this when you- Crystal Clods are doing all the saving people?”

Everyone’s expressions instantly softened, Garnet now being the first to approach the green gem as she snuck down to her height.

“Peridot, we wouldn’t go to all this trouble for someone who doesn’t deserve it.” She said, setting a hand on her shoulder. “And I think, that you’ve made great progress over this last year.”

 

“Yeah!” Steven cheered as he joined Peridot by her side. “Think about all the stuff we’ve done together!”

“Like what?”

“Like, standing up to Yellow Diamond!” Amethyst exclaimed. “That was so cool!”  
  
“Learning to accept me as an equal.” Pearl said.

“Knowing your limits, but still respecting fusion.” Garnet suggested, a cool demeanor about her words.

“Singing songs!”

 

“Peridot,” Garnet continued, “you’re a great addition to the team-- and a great friend. If anyone deserves to celebrate their accomplishments this year. It’s you.”

The green gems eyes lit up with understanding, now clutching her chest as she stared at all the pleasant expressions around her. She felt as if for the first time-- nothing could possibly hurt her.

"Wow! Thanks!”

**Author's Note:**

> So the latest episodes of Steven Universe came out and of course, I was inspired to write another one-shot indulging my love for Peridot and her learning curve. Thus, if you liked it or think I need to finally write about a different Gem, then leave a kudos or maybe even a comment. That'd be cool of you. As usual, I'd like to thank OutOfThisUniverse for beta-reading, as well an outside friend, and if you want more Danny Phantom and less tooth-rotting Gem stuff-- go visit OutOfThisUniverse's page for more. And of course, you, for sticking around and reading my material no matter the fandom or genre. 
> 
> So hey-- thanks.


End file.
